Temperament faqs

Frequently Asked Questions regarding temperament, their nature, their characteristics, their influence and their impact..

FAQs : All About Temperaments

If you are curious about knowing and understanding temperament and have questions in your mind, this place is for you. We will try to answer most infrequently asked questions regarding the Inborn Temperament here but if you still need some more explanation or clarification, you can always connect with us here or if you are already working with your coach, you can go to him/her for further discussions and understanding.

SPECIAL NOTE

If you have already self-assessed yourself, the following will help you correlate with the Temperament Glossary;
PP, PC, PM & PP :

PS: Popular Temperament (Popular Sanguine)
PC: Powerful Temperament (Powerful Choleric)
PM: Perfect Temperament (Perfect Melancholy)
PP: Peaceful Temperament (Peaceful Phlegmatic)

(In case you are yet to self-assess yourself, you can do so by choosing the assessment tab at the bottom of this page)

Let’s Explore FAQs

Can we change our Temperament?

As we discussed earlier in our sessions that Temperaments are those Innate Behavior Traits that come with us from birth. So they are the foundation of our behavior and personality. But we also discussed that our personality is not only about our inherent traits, but it is also influenced by external factors like IQ levels, place of birth, parenting, earlier influences of teachers, mentors and friends, and the requirement of the environment.

Those external factors influence our personality but still, the foundation remains the same. For example with the same building material we can create different types of structure from religious structures to residential structures to social structures, the sizes and shapes of those structures may differ but the material in the foundation remains the same. The same way our personality by the influence of external factors takes different shapes but the foundation of the personaoitu78n, our temperament remains the same.

So the answer to the question “Can we change our temperament ? ” is No. And we should not also try to change the temperament, as it will make us week and we will neither be what we originally are nor we will become what we are trying to become.

And on the other hand, though we can’t change our temperament, we can surely improve upon it. By working on the strengths of our inherent temperament and enhance them and by working on the weaknesses of our inherent temperament by minimizing them. But surely we cant change our temperament and neither we should try to do that.

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Can we change someone else's Temperament?

Well, the answer to this question is also NO. As we have learned that the temperament is the foundation of our behavior we are born with, we can’t change it and neither we should try to do that, the same is here with others too.

Above all, it is to be understood that when we think of changing others we are actually changing them to be what we like or we think the world demands. But here we forget that the person we are thinking about changing is also governed by his/her own temperament and that temperament can be improved upon by himself/herself, but cant is changed.

So when we encounter the thoughts of changing others, we should examine ourselves and try to understand why we are doing that and for what? We most probably get the answer in our own perception of others.

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Why do people so often married to opposite temperament?

It’s an interesting fact that marriages normally happen in the opposite temperaments. If you see around you will find the fact in this. Let’s understand why this happens?

If we focus on what we have learned about the temperament, we have also notice that each temperament comes with its own need and its own food. The Powerful Temperament needs people to follow them and appreciate their command. The Peaceful temperament needs respect from other people and wants that people should understand where they are coming from. Same way the Popular Temperament needs attention, appreciation, and approval, and the Perfect Temperament wants others to understand them and try to see the logic behind their observations.

So the born leader, authoritative and productive Powerful temperament is attracted to a partner who listens to them and is ready to follow their advice. And who else than The Peaceful can do it better? The same way the outgoing, outspoken disorganized Popular are attracted to someone who is deep, logical, and perfection oriented. And who else than The Perfect is good in it.

And this happens more than enough. If we go deep than we understand that the opposite temperament compliments each other rather then competing with each other. They fulfill the needs of each other and find the solution of their own week areas in each other. And this thing prepares them to be attracted to each other in the first place.

But this attraction is not the guarantee of good and sustainable relationships as the same qualities which in the first instance attract these both opposite temperament to each other becomes the mater of contention and fights when they start living under the same roof 24X7. The same qualities which seem to compliment the courtship period become the matter of contention after marriage. The same Powerful signature traits of being a leader, use of authority, and decisiveness become overbearing dominance and controlling behavior. The same Popular signature traits of taking life lightly, bubbliness, and charm is seen as selfish, self-centered, and childish. The same seriousness, deep and logical behavior of Perfect is being seen as too dark, negative, and gloomy. The same cal. cool, collected attitude of Peaceful is now seen as too lethargic, slow, and without excitement.

So the answer to the question of why so often marriages happen in the opposite temperament is that they complement each other. And if this situation needs to be kept as it is or better than we need to understand each other in and out. Understanding each other’s temperament is the key to a healthy, happy, and awesome relationship.

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Why do differnt temperament types irritates us?

Well, this is not that different temperament type irritates us. It is like what we expect from others when they don’t meet that expectation, we get irritated.

The Powerful get irritated when people don’t follow what they say and have lots of questions. The Popular got irritated when they don’t get that attention and the center stage they deeply desire. The Peaceful get irritated when they are always nudged, told, and given instructions to do something. The Perfect got irritated when they find shallowness in other peoples talk and don’t get that opportunity of meaningful conversation.

So we are not irritated by different temperament but we got irritated when our expectations and wants are not met. And this can be immensely improved by understanding the temperament of self and others.

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Is one temperament better than other?

Surely not. In fact, this comparison is totally illogical. We cant compare fishes and birds and mammals. The same way we cant compare the temperament we have as every temperament has its innate strengths and weaknesses. Its own characteristics and its own unique way of expression.

And when we can’t compare, saying who is better or worse, is out of the question. Every temperament is unique and is complete in it. No temperament is good or bad. Its who we are. Every temperament has strengths that they can enhance and weakness which they minimize. Every temperament has the potential of becoming its best version and also has the ability to become better. But there is no comparison and that’s why it is no good or bad.

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How does knowing my temperament help me?

Why do I do the things I do?” is a question many of us have asked ourselves at one time or another. Temperament study gives us insight into some of those “whys”. A Powerful with a quick temper, the talkative Popular, or the organized Perfect now have an underlying reason for their behavior. The trick is not to let temperament become an excuse for negative behavior and to use the understanding of temperaments in enhancing our own strengths and weaknesses.

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What jobs are best for each temperament type?

Again there are many other factors to consider but in general, Powerfuls make good leaders (CEOs, executives and managers) if they can control their tendency to criticize and get angry. Populars make good teachers if they can keep themselves organized and also suitable to jobs which involved facing people. Peacefuls make good counselors or pastors or life coaches; anywhere where noncritical listening and relating can be helpful. Perfects are good anywhere where organization and perfection are important including like medical & engineering professions.

Powerfuls don’t like are not suitable jobs where easygoing relating to others is important. Peacefuls are not suitable and dislike jobs where they must be outgoing and talkative and require quick decision-making skills. Perfects are not suitable for and detest jobs, where they have little control over their circumstances and Populars, don’t like jobs, and are not suitable where they must work alone for periods of time.

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I am not a blend of two types but three. How can I understand me better?

As we have discussed the blends, we know that typically we are a blend of two temperaments with one being primary and the other is secondary. And those two blends can fall either of these three categories like natural blends, complimentary blends, and opposite blends.

But this can also happen when we see the characteristic of three temperaments in place of two. And generally out of this three two fall into opposite blends. Here we can take an example.

Suppose in your self-assessment the combination comes out something like this: PS – 15, PC – 13, PM – 5, PP – 14. This is a situation where your primary temperament seems to be The Powerful (PC) and there are two spots for secondary temperament – The Popular (PS) and The Peaceful (PP). If we see closely, the primary temperament (PC) has a natural blend with (PS) but has an opposite blend with (PP). So here we can see that the actual combination can be PC +PS and has a making of PP. In other terms, you are of temperament blend as Powerful + Popular and has a making of Peaceful.

So the third temperament tells us about our masking and if we get it right, we can start going into depth of that masking and initiate the process of removing it so that we can become the best version of our own selves.

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What are the quick 'Cues' that I can use to read a person's Temperament?

We can prima facie identify the Temperament with a little bit of practice of observing the other person’s behavior, words, and surroundings.

First of all we talk about behavior. We can identify the temperament with the most prominent of traits of introversion and extraversion. Introvert people don’t talk much, express much, and listen more. The extrovert people tend to talk a lot, interrupt in between, and are more expressive. As we know the two temperaments Peaceful & Perfects are both introverts and Populars and Powerful are both extroverts. We can then identify by their inclination. The introverts if inclined towards status quo, relaxed, and indecisiveness, they are most probably have the primary temperament of Peaceful and they are inclined towards perfection, thinking, and logic they are most probably have the primary temperament of Perfect. If in case we find them extrovert and they are inclined towards fun, freedom, and talking they most probably have the primary temperament of Popular and if they are inclined more towards. action, results, and decision their primary temperament is most probably is Powerful.

Now we can identify them with the words they use. If they use powerful words like damn, decision, action or something like that they are more inclined towards Powerful Temperament. If they use words like fun, vacation, let’s go for a party are more towards Popular Temperament. Similarly, if the words are more like list, charts, logic, why, details, etc the Temperament is towards Perfect and if the words are used let’s see, let me get back to you, give me some time, sets it is more likely to be a Peaceful temperament.

And the surrounding also tell us a lot about temperament. If the desk is scattered, the wall paintings are more of happy faces, etc we most probably are dealing with a Popular Temperament. And if we come across a neat and tidy place, perfection to details in everything, clock, and calculator we are most probably dealing with a Perfect Temperament. Similarly, if the walls have bold paintings with awards and certificates and dress up of an individual is sharp and tight we are most probably dealing with a Powerful Temperament and if the place looks messy and the desk’s in the folder is piled up, the dress-up is casual we are most probably dealing with a Peaceful Temperament.

So in a nutshell, a Peaceful will be calm, quiet, and easygoing. A Perfect will be precise, analytical, and critical in conversation. A Popular will always be the most verbal and will often be a “toucher”. A Powerful will be straightforward, even abrupt, and most easily angered.

Above are a few signs and cues where we can identify the temperament and try to understand the perception of others and deal with them accordingly.

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Who do the differnt systems match up?

Is someone a Powerful, a choleric, a “D”, or an “SJ”?

There are many different “systems” of temperament classification. There are even those that compare a temperament to different animals. The three most common systems include – choleric, sanguine, melancholy, and phlegmatic, as well as the Meyers-Briggs Temperament Indicator which uses sixteen combinations of traits and includes the Guardian, Artisan, Rational, and idealist. The DiSC system is similar to the first system where the Decisive is the Choleric, the influencer is the Sanguine, the Steady is the Phlegmatic and the Conscientious is the Melancholy.

Though we have taken the base root and named them according to their strengths.

For more details of the different personality systems, you can visit this page of Main Personalities Theories

Insights!

As we have discussed and understood that temperaments are a set of innate behavior traits which works as a foundation of our personality, we most probably also understood that how important the understanding of these temperaments are for our relationships at work or in personal lives, for our social connections, for our self-actualization and of course for being a good human.

It is important to note here that understanding temperaments is not for others but only for self and it is not to make a statement but work on self to enhance our own strengths and work on our own weaknesses.

The journey to understand our true selves start from knowing and understanding our true nature and moves through accepting our true selves and then work towards leading our own selves. When we do this we are more likely to understand other people and develop empathy. But this understanding is just the start of the journey. We need to keep ourselves in the zone and do our own homework to understand more because this will tremendously help us many areas of our lives and make our life and relationships more meaningful, more productive, more energetic and more amiable.

All the best for your journey.

Mahesh Sharma
Coach | Humanist | Researcher
Founder & Chief Mentor – Know Your True Self Research Academy

The Probable Next Step!

If you are on the journey of knowing and understanding yourself by understanding your Inborn Temperament, do go deep in knowing about all The Four Temperament so as to get a complete big picture of Nature and Nurture. If you are already working with your coach, make sure you do discussion, debate, questioning, seek clarity and reach to a mutual conclusion about your own Inborn Temperament.